Fish-plate



UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE JOHN L. HITE, OF JOl-INSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

FISH-PLATE,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,156, dated October6, 1896.

Application filed April 29, 1896. Serial No. 589,508. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. HITE, a citizen of the United States,residing at J ohnstown, in the county of Oambria and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFish-Plates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to rail-splices.

My object is to provide an improved, simple, and efficient rail-splicewhich can be easily applied and serve to properly connect the ends ofthe rails without necessitating the employment of bolts of any variety.

Having these objects in view, my invention consists of certain novelfeatures and combinations, as will appear more fully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an end elevation showing theinvention in use; Fig. 2, a side elevation, and Fig. 3 an end viewshowing the manner of applying the rail-chair.

An ordinary T-rail is designated by the letter A as being provided withthe usual head or tread 1, web 2, and base 3.

13 represents my improved rail-chair. This chair is provided with a flatbase 4:, the upper seat 5 of which is of the same width as the rail-base3, and on which the latter rests when in position.

The numerals 6 and 7 designate square longitudinal parallel recesses,which extend the entire length of the chair-base. Integralinwardly-curved retaining-flanges 8 and 9 proj ect upwardly from thechair in the manner shown. The rail-chair is of such a length that itwill fit in easily between adjacent ties.

O and D represent duplicate splice-bars or fish-plates. The inner facesof these fishplates conform to the web and inclined upper faces 3 of therail-base, while their outer faces are suitably curved to correspond tothe curve of the inner faces of the retaining-flanges of the chair. Thelower portions of these fishplates terminate in downwardly-projectinglips 10 and 11, having fiat lower faces that lie substantially inalinement with the face of the chair-seat 5. These fish-plates areconsiderably longer than the chair and have their ends resting onadjacent ties, between which the rail-chair is situated.

I employ two square keys 12 and 13 of suitable size to be properlyreceived in the recesses of grooves 6 and 7, and are adapted to bewedged in tightly between the bottoms of these grooves and the lips 10and 11. These keys are slightly longer than the rail-chair, so thattheir projecting ends can be turned down, as shown, to prevent theirlongitudinal displacement.

The invention is applied as follows: The ends of the rails having beenproperlyjuxtaposed, the rail-chair is manipulated as shown in Fig. 3,where dotted lines show its final position.

keys driven home and their ends clamped down, as shown. The rails willthen be firmly held together. No bolts or other fastening devices needbe used in connecting the ends of the rails together, but I sometimesprefer to provide the chair with spike-holes to receive the spikes thatfasten it to the ties. These are not necessary, however.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In arail-splice, the combination with rails, of a rail-chair on which therails rest and which is provided with longitudinal recesses, in theupper face of its base, said recesses being located adjacent the edgesof the base-flanges of the rails, the rail-chair also havingretaining-flanges, fish-plates held between the retaining-flanges andthe rails,

The fish-plates are then slid in position longitudinally of the chairand the and keys wedged in the recesses between the fish-plates and therail-chair, substantially as described. a

2. In a rail-splice, the combination with rails, of a rail-chair onwhich the rails rest and which is provided with longitudinal recesses inits bottom, and also has retainingflanges, fish-plates held between theretainin g-fian ges and the rails, said fish-plates having their lowerends located immediately above the longitudinal recesses of therailchair, and keys wedged in the recesses and having their ends bentdown against the ends of the rail-chair.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscrib-,

ing witnesses.

JOHN L. I-IITE.

Witnesses:

FRANK. H. SINGER, ALEX. N. HART.

